Process for treating ores.



J. A. MoLARTY. PROCESS FOR TREATING OBES. APPLICATION FILED APR.14, 1913.

Patented Sept. 9, 19-13.

c I l x wwnemo I I I I .To all whom z'fmay concern:

l JES AINSLEIGH Mutant-Y, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

' PROCESS FOR TREATING- ORES.

Specification or Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Application filed April 14, 1913 Serial NO. 760,913.

Be it known that I, JAMES AINSLEIGH Mo- LARTY,'OIE the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Treating Ores, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to processes for treating ores to facilitate the recovery of the metal contained therein, and it more particularly relates to iron and copper ores. It will, of course, be understood that the process is also appliable to other ones whether they are simple, that is one metal predominating, largely in the vein matter, or complex where two or more metals may be contained in the same vein matter.

For convenience in the description of the process I will confine myself to iron ores and their direct conversion to steel without the manufacture of pig iron and subse uent conversion,'wherein I am enabled to e iminate the fixed and volatile impurities at a less cost than by present methods.

\Vhile any oxygen containing Ores of iron, copper and the has been found to give particularly good re sults with hematite, magnetic iron sands, and thelike.

The drawing shows a vertical section of a suitable container in which to carry out my process.

A is a container capable of being hermetically sealed.

B is the hinged cover of the same.

C is a movable inside container, for holding the ore to be treated, which may be made of any desirable mesh suitably reinforced so that a considerable weight of ore may be carriedin it.

D is an exhaust pipe provided with a check valve capable of being adjusted to any pressure.

E is a mixture of carbohydrate and hydrocarbons.

F is a pipe where steam may be injected.

G is a burner where outside heat may be applied.

H is a pipe where oil may be added.

The ores are exposed to vapors generated from a heated material comprising a carbohydrate, such as wood, and a material comprising an oily carbon compound such as crude petroleum Oil, as more fully hereinafter described and as claimed.

excelsior, shavings, etc.

like may be used, the process I have discovered that by exposing ores or materials containing metals to. vapors generated at a comparatively low temperature, preferably about 100 C., although other suitable temperatures may be employed, viz. from 70 C. up to 200 0., or more, from materials comprising a carbohydrate and materials comprising an oily carbon compound, I can produce a change in suchores which facilitates the recovery of the metal or metals from their vein ,,mat'- ter.

In lieu of the carbohydrate woody material, such as stated, I may use any other vegetable material, as, for example 7 molasses, cane sugar, cotton waste, paper, A paste of cane In lieu sugar-and oil gives good results.

pf crude petroleum oil, I may use the various petroleum preparations or. der1va- .tives such as kerosene, gasolene, spindle oil, lubricating oil, still bottoms, petroleum residues, etc, animal and vegetable fats and oils, alcohols or crude phenols, but petro leum OllS appear to be more advantageous from an economical standpoint.

drocarbon may be accomplished in any suitable manner. Flame heat is'frequently used,

but electric heat, jacket heat, using suitable heating fluids may be employed. 1

In the direct conversion of iron from its ore to steel, the 1101'1 Ore 1n convenient sizedpieces is placed in a cage. A mixture of a carbohydrate and crude petroleum oil is placed at the bottom of the container. The cage is lowered to its place. The cover is now placed on and hermetically sealed, and the air g xhausted by any suitable means'such as ana'ir pump or by blowing steam through the vessel or otherwise. The mixture of carbohydrate and oil is then heated to a temperature of 100 0., more or less as above stated, whereupon gases will be evolved, which are allowed to come in contact with The heating of the carbohydrate and hy- Y the ore in the receptacle, for a period of 7 time varying with the temperature at which said, hydrocarbon and carbohydrate are heated, and also with the size of the pieces of ore, and other conditions, but which may be from 6 to 12 hours, more or less.

' In a modification of my invention, I can produce similar results to that produced by themethod previously described, by lining the sides of the container. A with a coating of cane sugar, coating the ore with crude petroleum oil,'placing it in the cage, sealing the cover, and applying flame to the the mixture of carbohydrate and oily carbonwhole of the outside. I allow the uncombined gases to contact with the ore under heat for say from one to six hours.

A further modification of my invention may be carried out by placing a carbohydrate and an oily carbon compound in the base of the container, placing the ore to be processed in the cage, lowering same to its place, igniting the gases evolved by heating compound, so as to insure the contact of the ore with the flaming gases, this modification being claimed in my copending application 761,940, filed April 18, 1913. The gas so forming will prevent the entrance of atmospheric oxygen. There is no attempt to combine or eliminate nitrogen at this stage of the process. When the carbon oxids and water are as nearly expelled as possible and the flame begins to darken, I close the container. Some pressure is thereby generated. Undue pressure is obviated by the check valve on the exhaust pipe D. With this mixture of nascent gases, I allow the metal to contact for from one to six hours. The reactions or what the metal picks up is somewhat obscure, and I content myself with noting the results. obtained. On removing the cage from the container I may now melt the metal in any suitable form of furnace. The sulfur and phosphorus will vaporize during melting and the fixed impurities, vein'matter, etc., can be slagged ofl without fluxing. The-molten metal may be cast into any convenient form free from blow holes, may be hot worked, shaped into any convenient form without losing any of its newly acquired properties. The container may of any suitabledirfnensions, shape'or mate rial. Oil may be added from time to time ='as may be required, through the pipe pro 'vided for the purpose. Steam may be blown in to eliminate excess of gases, and it is distinctly understood that at no stage of the process, either in the open or closed container is the heat ever allowed to approach red heat in the material being treated. The

process may be continued for a suitablelength of time to insure thorough impregnation of the ore with the nascent gases. The pressure in the treating chambers may be as desired and may be-above, below or at atmospheric pressure.

Although I describe my process as applied to ores, it will be understood that it may also be applied to metals or alloys of metals;

Although in this specification, I have described the vapors' being produced in the same container as that in which the material is placed, it will of course be understood that the vapors may be produced in a separate container and carried to the container in which the ores or metals are placed by any suitable conduit.

Treating the orewith gases evolved by heating the carbohydrate and hydrocarbon will convert the ore into metal. The metal so produced is especially valuable for the reason that it has acquired valuable properties in this, that it will not rust nor corrode, as will ordinary metal such as iron, copper, etc., produced in the ordinary manner. Moreover, as stated above, it may be cast wholly free from blow-holes, flaws and the like, and is capable of being tempered to any I desired hardness.

comprises exposing the same to the gases and vapors produced by heating a mixture including a hydrocarbon and a carbohydrate, said exposure being made out ,of contact with free oxygen and at a temperature not above a red heat.

3. The process of reducing and treating ores which comprisesheating a mixture containing a hydrocarbon and a carbohydrate, to a temperature materially below a red heat,

to generate gases and vapors, and treating the ore with the gases and vapors so pro- 'duced, while in a compartment separate from said carbohydrate and hydrocarbon.

4. The process of reducing and treating ores, which. comprises heating a mixture comprising a carbohydrate and a hydrocarbon, and exposing the ore to the gases and Vapors thereby produced, out of contact with air, in a sealed container. p

5. The process of reducing andtreating ores which comprises heating a mixture containing a hydrocarbon and a carbohydrate, to a temperature materially below a red heat, to generate gases and vapors, and treatlng the ore with the gases and vapors so produced, while in a compartment separate from said carbohydrate. and hydrocarbon, and at a temperature below a red heat.

JAMES AINSLEIGH McLARTY.

Witnesses:

EDITH J. HENDERSON, MAY A. FULLER'ION. 

